betty rickenbach met her first days on this earth first in 1924. in april, she and her daughters opened up a unique shop in shillington, not far from her home. it's called avenue 4 accessories and is stocked entirely of hand-crafted items made by betty and her four daughters. this includes rickenbach's paintings and baby clothing she's made, as well as jewelry, ornately decorated flip flops in summertime, tote bags, handmade chocolates and plenty more made by her daughters.
it was also a great privilege to write the life story of rickenbach in mature living in the reading eagle in october. her kindness and sweet spirit in any conversation set a great example for the world, especially today.
rickenbach is on the cover of the first volume of poetry for this project, too, right in the middle, at the top.
rickenbach's poem references a kind of industry-specific publication where her workplace is mentioned, and putting these words in the air while reading the poem always rounds out some laughter from the crowd. a link to the publication is below as well, to literally see its old print, when you find your way to the first line of the poem.
most people cringe or flinch a bit when they hear lines toward the end of rickenbach's poem from this project. read her excerpt below from the first book of the labors of our fingertips: poems from manufacturing history in berks county, and your senses will soon make you well aware of why.
*
a july 5, 1921 edition of the corset and underwear
review references that fairy silk mills would be
adding another story to its new building, to keep
up with expanding the operation in shillington.
history books, and anywhere else the name is written,
carry the tinkerbell-thinking sort of spelling, but i
remembered it as faerie. an ad dating from 1947
shows a teenage girl enjoying telephone-gabbing
while wearing a nightgown from the mill. it’s
spelled both ways across the print. by the time
they hired me, i didn’t see any silk in the fabric
selection. i did top-stitching of the yokes of slips,
beckoning acetate yarn and viscose rayon.
when my machine had trouble, or if the thread
didn’t come through, i called my supervisor,
mary fritz, or eyed the room for the machinist.
my finger met the needle one day, not there but
at a shirt factory near broad and hendel streets.
its name has left me by now. i sewed right across
my nail. i think i closed my eyes for a minute.
adding another story to its new building, to keep
up with expanding the operation in shillington.
history books, and anywhere else the name is written,
carry the tinkerbell-thinking sort of spelling, but i
remembered it as faerie. an ad dating from 1947
shows a teenage girl enjoying telephone-gabbing
while wearing a nightgown from the mill. it’s
spelled both ways across the print. by the time
they hired me, i didn’t see any silk in the fabric
selection. i did top-stitching of the yokes of slips,
beckoning acetate yarn and viscose rayon.
when my machine had trouble, or if the thread
didn’t come through, i called my supervisor,
mary fritz, or eyed the room for the machinist.
my finger met the needle one day, not there but
at a shirt factory near broad and hendel streets.
its name has left me by now. i sewed right across
my nail. i think i closed my eyes for a minute.
*
and here is what is now the old fairy silk mills building
on catherine street in shillington.
on catherine street in shillington.
to help support this poetry project or to buy the first book from it, visit https://www.gofundme.com/berkscountypoems, or for other purchase and donation options, please reach out by email to thelaborsofourfingertips at yahoo dot com or by phone at 610.401.3392.
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